LCD displays are well known in the prior art. Often such displays are used to produce alphanumeric characters. The most common types of LCD displays are the twisted nematic type which use a backplane and a disposed image plane with conductive segments etched thereon. Applying an electrical potential between the segments and the backplane forms an image of the segments in a liquid held between the backplane and the transparent plane.
LCD displays have been made to simulate dial or linear readouts, which are the common readouts for analog signals. Dial or linear displays are often preferable to numeric readouts because they provide an indication of a current condition in relation to an overall operating range. In addition, operators are accustomed to reading displays that include a moving pointer on the face of a linear, arcuate or circular scale.
A problem arises however when LCDs are used to simulate a moving pointer. The nature of conventional LCD displays has required a separate segment for each pointer position. As a result, it has not been possible to produce a display in which the pointer "moves" less than one pointer thickness. While the pointer can be made smaller so the pointer moves in smaller increments, as the pointer becomes smaller the display becomes more difficult to read.
Dot matrix type LCD displays can provide for movement of a simulated pointer less than a pointer width. The addressing scheme for a dot matrix LCD display is complex however. In addition, dichroic type LCD displays, which provide wide angle viewing desirable in many applications, cannot be addressed in dot matrix fashion.
Thus, there exists a need for a LCD display that produces a moveable pointer with high spatial resolution.